A Collection of College Words and Customs Part 21

"_Doctors in the Civil Law and in Physic_ have two robes: the _first_ is the scarlet gown, as just described, and the _second_, or ordinary dress of a D.C.L., is a black silk gown, with a plain square collar, the sleeves hanging down square to the feet;--the ordinary gown of an M.D. is of the same shape, but trimmed at the collar, sleeves, and front with rich black silk lace.

"A _Doctor in Music_ commonly wears the same dress as a D.C.L.; but on festival and scarlet-days is arrayed in a gown made of rich white damask silk, with sleeves and facings of rose-color, a hood of the same, and a round black velvet cap with gold ta.s.sel.

"_Bachelors in Divinity_ and _Masters of Arts_ wear a black gown, made of bombazine, poplin, or silk. It has sleeves extending to the feet, with apertures for the arms just above the elbow, and may be distinguished by the shape of the sleeves, which hang down square, and are cut out at the bottom like the section of a horseshoe.

"_Bachelors in the Civil Law and in Physic_ wear a gown of the same shape as that of a Master of Arts.

"All Graduates of the above ranks are ent.i.tled to wear a hat, instead of the square black cloth cap, with their gowns, and the custom of doing so is generally adopted, except by the HEADS, _Tutors_, and _University_ and _College Officers_, who consider it more correct to appear in the full academical costume.

"A _Bachelor of Arts'_ gown is made of bombazine or poplin, with large sleeves terminating in a point, with apertures for the arms, just below the shoulder-joint.[13] _Bachelor Fellow-Commoners_ usually wear silk gowns, and square velvet caps. The caps of other Bachelors are of cloth.

"All the above, being _Graduates_, when they use surplices in chapel wear over them their _hoods_, which are peculiar to the several degrees. The hoods of _Doctors_ are made of scarlet cloth, lined with rose-colored silk; those of _Bachelors in Divinity_, and _Non-Regent Masters of Arts_, are of black silk; those of _Regent Masters of Arts_ and _Bachelors in the Civil Law and in Physic_, of black silk lined with white; and those of _Bachelors of Arts_, of black serge, trimmed with a border of white lamb's-wool.

"The dresses of the _Undergraduates_ are the following:--

"A _n.o.bleman_ has two gowns: the _first_ in shape like that of the Fellow-Commoners, is made of purple Ducape, very richly embroidered with gold lace, and is worn in public processions, and on festival-days: a square black velvet cap with a very large gold ta.s.sel is worn with it;--the _second_, or ordinary gown, is made of black silk, with full round sleeves, and a hat is worn with it.

The latter dress is worn also by the Bachelor Fellows of King's College.

"A _Fellow-Commoner_ wears a black prince's stuff gown, with a square collar, and straight hanging sleeves, which are decorated with gold lace; and a square black velvet cap with a gold ta.s.sel.

"The Fellow-Commoners of Emmanuel College wear a similar gown, with the addition of several gold-lace b.u.t.tons attached to the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs on the sleeves;--those of Trinity College have a purple prince's stuff gown, adorned with silver lace,[14] and a silver ta.s.sel is attached to the cap;--at Downing the gown is made of black silk, of the same shape, ornamented with tufts and silk lace; and a square cap of velvet with a gold ta.s.sel is worn. At Jesus College, a Bachelor's silk gown is worn, plaited up at the sleeve, and with a gold lace from the shoulder to the bend of the arm. At Queen's a Bachelor's silk gown, with a velvet cap and gold ta.s.sel, is worn: the same at Corpus and Magdalene; at the latter it is gathered and looped up at the sleeve,--at the former (Corpus) it has velvet facings. Married Fellow-Commoners usually wear a black silk gown, with full, round sleeves, and a square velvet cap with silk ta.s.sel.[15]

"The _Pensioner's_ gown and cap are mostly of the same material and shape as those of the Bachelor's: the gown differs only in the mode of tr.i.m.m.i.n.g. At Trinity and Caius Colleges the gown is purple, with large sleeves, terminating in a point. At St. Peter's and Queen's, the gown is precisely the same as that of a Bachelor; and at King's, the same, but made of fine black woollen cloth. At Corpus Christi is worn a B.A. gown, with black velvet facings. At Downing and Trinity Hall the gown is made of black bombazine, with large sleeves, looped up at the elbows.[16]

"_Students in the Civil Law and in Physic_, who have kept their Acts, wear a full-sleeved gown, and are ent.i.tled to use a B.A.

hood.

"Bachelors of Arts and Undergraduates are obliged by the statutes to wear their academical costume constantly in public, under a penalty of 6s. 8d. for every omission.[17]

"Very few of the _University Officers_ have distinctive dresses.

"The _Chancellor's_ gown is of black damask silk, very richly embroidered with gold. It is worn with a broad, rich lace band, and square velvet cap with large gold ta.s.sel.

"The _Vice-Chancellor_ dresses merely as a Doctor, except at Congregations in the Senate-House, when he wears a cope. When proceeding to St. Mary's, or elsewhere, in his official capacity, he is preceded by the three Esquire-Bedells with their silver maces, which were the gift of Queen Elizabeth.

"The _Regius Professors of the Civil Law and of Physic_, when they preside at Acts in the Schools, wear copes, and round black velvet caps with gold ta.s.sels.

"The _Proctors_ are not distinguishable from other Masters of Arts, except at St. Mary's Church and at Congregations, when they wear ca.s.socks and black silk ruffs, and carry the Statutes of the University, being attended by two servants, dressed in large blue cloaks, ornamented with gold-lace b.u.t.tons.

"The _Yeoman-Bedell_, in processions, precedes the Esquire-Bedells, carrying an ebony mace, tipped with silver; his gown, as well as those of the _Marshal_ and _School-Keeper_, is made of black prince's stuff, with square collar, and square hanging sleeves."--pp. 28-33.

At the University of Oxford, Eng., the costume of the Graduates is as follows:--

"The Doctor in Divinity has three dresses: the first consists of a gown of scarlet cloth, with black velvet sleeves and facings, a ca.s.sock, sash, and scarf. This dress is worn on all public occasions in the Theatre, in public processions, and on those Sundays and holidays marked (*) in the _Oxford Calendar_. The second is a habit of scarlet cloth, and a hood of the same color lined with black, and a black silk scarf: the Master of Arts' gown is worn under this dress, the sleeves appearing through the arm-holes of the habit. This is the dress of business; it is used in Convocation, Congregation, at Morning Sermons at St. Mary's during the term, and at Afternoon Sermons at St. Peter's during Lent, with the exception of the Morning Sermon on Quinquagesima Sunday, and the Morning Sermons in Lent. The third, which is the usual dress in which a Doctor of Divinity appears, is a Master of Arts' gown, with ca.s.sock, sash, and scarf. The Vice-Chancellor and Heads of Colleges and Halls have no distinguishing dress, but appear on all occasions as Doctors in the faculty to which they belong.

"The dresses worn by Graduates in Law and Physic are nearly the same. The Doctor has three. The first is a gown of scarlet cloth, with sleeves and facings of pink silk, and a round black velvet cap. This is the dress of state. The second consists of a habit and hood of scarlet cloth, the habit faced and the hood lined with pink silk. This habit, which is perfectly a.n.a.logous to the second dress of the Doctor in Divinity, has lately grown into disuse; it is, however, retained by the Professors, and is always used in presenting to Degrees. The third or common dress of a Doctor in Law or Physic nearly resembles that of the Bachelor in these faculties; it is a black silk gown richly ornamented with black lace; the hood of the Bachelor of Laws (worn as a dress) is of purple silk, lined with white fur.

"The dress worn by the Doctor of Music on public occasions is a rich white damask silk gown, with sleeves and facings of crimson satin, a hood of the same material, and a round black velvet cap.

The usual dresses of the Doctor and of the Bachelor in Music are nearly the same as those of Law and Physic.

"The Master of Arts wears a black gown, usually made of prince's stuff or c.r.a.pe, with long sleeves which are remarkable for the circular cut at the bottom. The arm comes through an aperture in the sleeve, which hangs down. The hood of a Master of Arts is black silk lined with crimson.

"The gown of a Bachelor of Arts is also usually made of prince's stuff or c.r.a.pe. It has a full sleeve, looped up at the elbow, and terminating in a point; the dress hood is black, trimmed with white fur. In Lent, at the time of _determining_ in the Schools, a strip of lamb's-wool is worn in addition to the hood. n.o.blemen and Gentlemen-Commoners, who take the Degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, wear their gowns of silk."

The costume of the Undergraduates is thus described:--

"The n.o.bleman has two dresses; the first, which is worn in the Theatre, in processions, and on all public occasions, is a gown of purple damask silk, richly ornamented with gold lace. The second is a black silk gown, with full sleeves; it has a tippet attached to the shoulders. With both these dresses is worn a square cap of black velvet, with a gold ta.s.sel.

"The Gentleman-Commoner has two gowns, _both of black silk_; the first, which is considered as a dress gown, although worn on all occasions, at pleasure, is richly ornamented with ta.s.sels. The second, or undress gown, is ornamented with plaits at the sleeves.

A square black velvet cap with a silk ta.s.sel, is worn with both.

"The dress of Commoners is a gown of black prince's stuff, without sleeves; from each shoulder is appended a broad strip, which reaches to the bottom of the dress, and towards the top is gathered into plaits. Square cap of black cloth and silk ta.s.sel.

"The student in Civil Law, or Civilian, wears a plain black silk gown, and square cloth cap, with silk ta.s.sel.

"Scholars and Demies of Magdalene, and students of Christ Church who have not taken a degree, wear a plain black gown of prince's stuff, with round, full sleeves half the length of the gown, and a square black cap, with silk ta.s.sel.

"The dress of the Servitor is the same as that of the Commoner, but it has no plaits at the shoulder, and the cap is without a ta.s.sel."

The costume of those among the University Officers who are distinguished by their dress, may be thus noted:--

"The dress of the Chancellor is of black damask silk, richly ornamented with gold embroidery, a rich lace band, and square velvet cap, with a large gold ta.s.sel.

"The Proctors wear gowns of prince's stuff, the sleeves and facings of black velvet; to the left shoulder is affixed a small tippet. To this is added, as a dress, a large ermine hood.

"The Pro-Proctor wears a Master of Arts' gown, faced with velvet, with a tippet attached to the left shoulder."

The Collectors wear the same dress as the Proctors, with the exception of the hood and tippet.

The Esquire Bedels wear silk gowns, similar to those of Bachelors of Law, and round velvet caps. The Yeoman Bedels have black stuff gowns, and round silk caps.

The dress of the Verger is nearly the same as that of the Yeoman Bedel.

"Bands at the neck are considered as necessary appendages to the academic dress, particularly on all public occasions."--_Guide to Oxford_.

See DRESS.

COURTS. At the English universities, the squares or acres into which each college is divided. Called also quadrangles, abbreviated quads.

All the colleges are constructed in quadrangles or _courts_; and, as in course of years the population of every college, except one,[18] has outgrown the original quadrangle, new courts have been added, so that the larger foundations have three, and one[19]

has four courts.--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 2.

CRACKLING. At the University of Cambridge, Eng., in common parlance, the three stripes of velvet which a member of St. John's College wears on his sleeve, are designated by this name.

Various other gowns are to be discerned, the Pembroke looped at the sleeve, the Christ's and Catherine curiously crimped in front, and the Johnian with its unmistakable "_Crackling_"--_Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ._, Ed. 2d, p. 73.